Resources for Families

Professional Support Webinar Series for Families

Adult Education 

• Adult Education Resources

Athletics

• Updated Guidance for the Operation of Interscholastic, Youth and other Amateur Sport Activities during the COVID-19 Pandemic (January 10, 2022)
• Fall Athletics and Vaccinations (July 20, 2021)
  • Sigan Jugando - Aliente a los Atletas Jóvenes, Entrenadores y a sus Familias a Vacunarse
• CIAC Guidelines for Safely Returning to Athletics
• General Guidance for Youth and Amatuer Sport Activities during COVID-19 Pandemic
• NCAA Eligibility Center COVID-19 Response FAQs
• Updated Sport Activities Guidance (March 30, 2021)

English Learners

• Empowering ELL Parents and Families at Home
• The Benefits of Being Bilingual 

Finance

• Eversource Hardship and Matching Payment Programs
• Information for Families on the Advance Child Tax Credit English
• Información general de los pagos por adelantado del Crédito tributario por hijos de 2021

Health and Safety

Vaccine

• COVID-19 Booster Vaccine
• Pfizer Vaccine Recommended for Children Ages 12-15: Survey Response Requested
• Domestic Travel Guidance Update for Fully Vaccinated Persons
• Vaccine Update (March 30, 2021)
• New CDC Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People:
  • CDC Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
  • CDC Updated Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations in Response to COVID-19 Vaccination
• Vaccination Update (March 8, 2021)
• Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Residents Over 65 Can Register for COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments Starting Thursday, February 11

COVID-19 Testing Locations

• DPH Established Testing Sites
• Domestic Violence Services and Resources for Students, Parents/Guardians and the School Community
• Hackers Eye Students Returning to Virtual Classes as Easy Targets
• Internet Safety for Parents/Caregivers and Students
• Joint CISA and CYBER.org Cyber Safety Video Series
• Providing Comfort to Students during These Stressful Times
• Seguridad De Internet - Internet Safety Training for Spanish Speakers
• Suicide Prevention Public Health Alert
  • Suicidio Juvenil Alerta de Salud Pública de CT
• Updated Mask Order from DPH
• Universal Mask Policies in School Buildings

Learning Resources

• Internet Connectivity in 2022-23: Schools: apply for funding; Families: apply for a subsidy through the Affordable Connectivity Program
• CT Learning Hub and Wide Open School Parent Webinars (Bilingual) Wednesday, December 9, 2020
  • Cómo aprovechar al máximo el tiempo en línea de su hijo
• Emergency Broadband Benefit
• Emergency Broadband Benefits Program
  • EBB Benefits Flier: English and Español
• Pearson Remote Learning Resources for Teachers, Students and Parents: Math Resources; K-8 Math Resources; K-12 Literacy Resources
• Reminding Families to Take Advantage of Free Internet Access for Students
• Resources for Parents and Guardians to Support Distance Learning in Mathematics
• Yale Child Study Center and Scholastic Collaborative's First Aid for Feelings free resource; DAV Pilkey's Dog Man Series and Scholastic Partnership

Nutrition

• Distribution of Pandemic EBT Food Benefits
• COVID-19 Community-wide Emergency Meal Program for Children
• COVID-19 Emergency Meal Program Limited to Students Attending School in Specific Districts
• Food Resources for Kids During COVID-19 Emergency
• Recursos Alimentarios Para Niños Durante

Self-care and Mental Health

• CSDE Healthy Adults Healthy Schools
• CSDE Wellness for Student Support Service Providers
• FREE Yale University and CSDE Science of Well-Being Livestream Event for CT Students and Families

Social and Emotional Support

• Finish Strong
  • Family and School Teamwork to Finish Strong
  • Updated "Finish Strong" ( April 9, 2021)
• Social Emotional Family Resources

Connecticut Resources - Behavioral Health Crisis Resources

• Connectingtocarect.org
• Family Support Helpline 211: help@211info.org, dial 211 or 1-800-203-1234, Crisis intervention, family support, mental and behavioral health referrals.
• Crisis Mobile Intervention Services: Offers help from trained behavioral health clinicians for children in crisis.
• Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS):
  Provides crisis services for adults through local mental health authorities.
  • Finding services in your town
  • 24-Hour Crisis numbers

• Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Provides information
  about shelters, programs and other resources. All services are confidential, safe, free
  and voluntary.

• Kids Mental Health: To help parents and caregivers understand more about their
  child’s mental health issues. The website contains many local and national resources
  and covers a range of topics on Child Trauma, Mental Health in Schools, Infant
  Mental Health and Best and Evidence-Based Practices.

• Mental Health and Evidence-Based Directory age 0 to 21: This directory lists
  providers of some evidence-based practices available in Connecticut for children
  and families with behavioral health needs.

• New "Talk It Out Line" helps with stress from caring for children during COVID-19 crisis
• SEL4CT: COVID-19 SEL Supports.
• The Three Rs of Learning from Home: Tips for Stressed-out Families
• Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence: RULER Community Strategies for Managing Anxiety around COVID-19.

Coronavirus National Resources - Supporting Emotional Well-Being

• Anxiety and Depression Association of America: Tips and resources for parents to
  take care of themselves and their families during an uncertain time.
• Centers for Disease Control: Helping kids cope during and after a disaster.
• Centers for Disease Control: Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019.
• Centers for Disease Control: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) information
  regarding spreading.
• Centers for Disease Control: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) information
  regarding handwashing.
• Centers for Disease Control: Information for parents to reduce stress in themselves
  and their children.
• Centers for Disease Control: Age-based tips and resources for helping children cope
  with emergencies.
• Center for Disease Control: Caring for Children-tips to keep children healthy while
  school’s out.
• Child Mind Institute: Talking to kids about the Coronavirus.
• Children’s Institute: Resources on how to share information with young children as well as other useful topics to help children and their families navigate through the current situation.
• Child Mind Institute: For parents, prioritizing your own well-being benefits your whole family.
• Child Mind Institute: Dar prioridad a su propio bienestar beneficia a toda su familia.
• Child Mind Institute: Tips for nurturing and protecting children at home.
• Child Trend: Resources for supporting children’s emotional well-being during the COVID19 Pandemic.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Webinar series called "Strategies for Being Your Best 'SELF;"
• Department of Health and Human Services: Taking care of your behavioral health: tips for social distancing, quarantine, and isolation during an infectious disease outbreak.
• Hanover Research: Self-regulation strategies.
• Hanover Research • Kids Health: Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to talk to your child. Printable article; also available in audio.
• Kids Health: Coronavirus (COVID-19): ¿Cómo hablar con su hijo sobre este virus?
• Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network: Supportive practices for mental health professionals during pandemic-related social distancing.

Behavioral Health Crisis Reources

• Anxiety and Depression Association of America: General tips for communicating
  with an anxious/child or teen about coronavirus.
• SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline: Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to
  66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. Offers 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis
  counseling and support for people experiencing emotional distress related to
  natural or human-caused disasters.

Family Activities Resources

• Brain Pop: It can be scary to hear about a disease outbreak, but learning the facts
  can help ease your mind for children.
• Common Sense Media: Device-Free Dinner Guidelines (Sesame Street cast).
• Greater Good in Education: Free SEL Activities and Practices families can do from
  home

Special Education

• CPAC and CSDE Special Education Guidance for Parents Related to School Reopening (August 26, 2020)
• IDEA Eligibility Extended Until Age 22
• Special Education Guidance and Resources for COVID-19

Additional Resources

• Confronting COVID-19-Related Harassment in Schools
• Dealing with COVID-19 Together: Resources to Support Families
• Increased Access to Internet Coverage for Connecticut Residents
• Information on AP Students Affected by COVID-19
• Joint OEC/CSDE Memo: Transitioning to Kindergarten During a Public Health Emergency
• Lt. Governor Bysiewicz launches COVID-19 coding computing challenge for 3-12 graders